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I HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING PAST THIS – WHY DID YOU HAVE TO KILL ALL THOSE EGYPTIAN BABIES?

Well, baby Moses wasn’t the first boy baby to be floating in the river.  At least he was face up.³⁵   You must remember that Pharaoh got nervous about the birth rate of the foreigners whom he had enslaved and ordered their male babies to be thrown into the river.³⁶  He had to know that was not very nice.  His predecessor had been an excellent role model.³⁷  He could have followed his example.  Besides, I had promised Moses’ ancestor, Abraham, that I would repay anyone according to how they treated his people.³⁸

That was covenant.  How could I be trusted if I didn’t follow through on that?  I had turned all of Pharaoh’s waters into blood.³⁹  Don’t tell me he couldn’t see the symbolism in that.  No, Pharaoh’s babies had to go or, I should say, come to me.  Be careful not to get hung up with the time dimension as you know it.  Before those little ones were born, their angels gazed upon my face in heaven as they still do.⁴⁰  But Pharaoh – I hardened his heart in order to exact justice.

BUT YOU’RE IN CHARGE.  DON’T YOU DECIDE ELECTIONS?  DON’T YOU RAISE UP ONE PHARAOH AND PUT DOWN ANOTHER?  YOU HAD TO KNOW THIS FELLOW WOULD BE ABUSIVE, RIGHT?

You’re very astute.⁴¹  Remember the pattern in Eden – how we used the serpent to test the first couple?  That method bore repeating.  Remember my “long suit” – taking something very bad and causing something very, very good to result from it?  It’s the seed principle in action.⁴²  Key players must be developed.  We use the unjust to child-train them all the time.  But then, to be just, I have to punish the wrongdoers.  The introductory remarks reveal case after case of this.⁴³

35 “. . . she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank” (Exodus 2:3b).

36 “So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, ‘every (Hebrew) son who is born you shall cast into the river . . . ‘” (Exodus 1:22a).

37 “Then (the previous) Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.  And he had him ride in the second chariot . . . (and) he set him over all the land of Egypt” (Genesis 41:42-43).  “Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land . . . make them chief herdsmen over my livestock” (Genesis 47:6).

38 “I will bless those that bless you, and I will curse him who curses you . . .” (Genesis 12:3a). 

39 “And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood” (Exodus 7:20b).

40 “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 18:10).  “For He will deliver the needy when he cries . . . and will save the souls of the needy (the helpless).  He will redeem their life from . . . violence; and precious shall be their blood in his sight” (Psalm 72:12a, 13b, 14).  “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. . . . Your eyes saw my substance being yet unformed.  And in Your book they were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them” (Psalm 139:13, 16).

41 “For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south.  But God is the judge;  He puts down one and exalts another” (Psalm 75:6-7).

42 “Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job?’” (Job 1:8a).  “And the Lord restored Job’s losses when Job prayed for his friends.  Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before” (Job 42:10).

43 “Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place . . . to comfort him” (Job 2:11).  “Then Job answered and said:  ‘How             long will you (fellows) torment my soul, and break me to pieces with your words?’” (Job 19:1-2).  “ . . . the Lord said to (Job’s friends), ‘My wrath is aroused against you . . . and My servant Job shall pray for you . . . lest I deal with you according to your folly . . .’” (Job 42:7b, 8b).  “But they (Israel) rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; so He turned Himself against them” (Isaiah 63:10).  “But behold, I (God) will raise up a nation against you, O house of Israel . . . and they will afflict you . . . ” (Amos 6:14).  “Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim.  And Moses said to Joshua, ‘Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek’” (Exodus 17:8-9a).  “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you were coming out of Egypt, how he met you on the way and attacked your rear flanks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God” (Deuteronomy 25:17-18).  “Thus says the Lord of hosts:  ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt.  Now go and attack Amalek and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them’” (1 Samuel 15:2-3a).